The invention relates to a translation device. The invention more particularly relates to a translation device enabling translations of a few nanometers to several tens of nanometers to be realised with a high degree of accuracy. Such translation devices are customarily based on micromechanical translation mechanisms. The devices are used, inter alia, in micromechanics and microelectronics.
A translation device of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph is known from, inter alia, European Patent Application EP-A 360.975. The device described therein is driven by means of an actuator body comprising a piezoelectric element. The accuracy of the translations effected with such devices is of the order of a few nanometers to several tens of nanometers (nms).
The known translation device has disadvantages. Thus, a relatively high electric voltage of the order of kVolts is required to effect translations with an actuator body driven by a piezoelectric element. Besides, in such translation devices said relatively high electric voltage across the piezoelectric element must be maintained in order to preserve an adjusted translation. If the electric voltage is removed the adjusted position is lost. A further disadvantage relates to the occurrence of hysteresis in piezoelectric elements. Due to this there is no unequivocal relation between the voltage applied across the piezoelectric element and the translation effected thereby. Consequently, additional facilities have to be provided to determine the translation obtained.